COLLEGE FOOTBALL : BIG TEN ROUNDUP : Big Name Has Big Game for Michigan

A flawless first half by Brian Griese, making his first collegiate start at quarterback, was enough to overcome a mistake-filled third quarter by No. 8 Michigan.

Griese threw two touchdown passes as the Wolverines (5-0) scored on their first five possessions of the first half to lead, 31-0, then held on for a 38-19 nonconference victory over Miami of Ohio on Saturday at Ann Arbor, Mich.

“We didn’t put them away when we had a chance to do so,” Michigan Coach Lloyd Carr said. “Then we turned it over three consecutive times. And not only did we turn it over, but we gave them great position. From then on, it was a different Miami team.”

In the second half, the Redskins looked more like the Miami team (3-2) that entered the game with the NCAA’s top-rated defense and upset Northwestern two weeks ago with 23 unanswered fourth-quarter points.

Griese, son of former Miami Dolphin quarterback Bob Griese, was 10 for 13 for 157 yards in the first half without an interception in relief of Scott Dreisbach, who suffered a severe sprain and torn ligaments in his right thumb in practice Thursday.

In the second half, Griese was only four for 11 for 35 yards with an interception.

Michigan, off to its best start since opening the 1986 season with nine victories, scored on its first five possessions.

The defense added a touchdown on a 36-yard interception return by Chuck Winters.

The only thing that stopped the Wolverines in the first half was the clock. Michigan was driving again when time ran out.

Miami tailback Deland McCullough rushed for 104 of his 141 yards in the second half.

Northwestern 31, Indiana 7--Darnell Autry gained 100 yards for a fifth consecutive game, Brian Musso set up a touchdown with an 86-yard punt return and Casey Dailey scored on a fumble return as the Wildcats beat the Hoosiers in a Big Ten game at Evanston, Ill.

Northwestern’s victory gives the Wildcats a 3-1 start for the first time since 1963.

Sophomore running back Alex Smith gained 136 yards in 23 carries for Indiana (2-2), but was carried off the field on a stretcher with 9:32 left after he was tackled and suffered broken ribs.

Michigan State 25, Boston College 21--Robert Shurelds had two second-half interceptions and Todd Schultz, making his first start, passed for 210 yards and two touchdowns as the Spartans overcame a 12-point deficit for a victory over the Eagles in a nonconference game at East Lansing, Mich.

Schultz, forced into action after Tony Banks sprained his left ankle last week at Purdue, completed 20 of 28 passes with two interceptions for the Spartans (2-1-1).

Mark Hartsell completed 20 of 37 for 175 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions for Boston College (1-3), a Big East team whose three losses have all come against Big Ten teams.

Iowa 59, New Mexico State 21--Matt Sherman threw three touchdown passes and Sedrick Shaw scored twice as Iowa (3-0) scored touchdowns on its first seven possessions and amassed 612 yards of total offense en route to a nonconference victory over New Mexico State (1-4) at Iowa City.

New Mexico State’s Cody Ledbetter, who led the nation with 1,223 passing yards and 10 touchdowns coming into the game, completed 27 of 46 passes for 322 yards and two interceptions, one that was returned for a touchdown. He was nine for 19 for 87 yards and an interception in the first half.

Purdue 35, Ball State 13--Mike Alstott set two Purdue records, running for 100 yards for the fourth consecutive game and scoring his 30th rushing touchdown as the Boilermakers (2-1-1) defeated the Cardinals (3-2) in a nonconference game at West Lafayette, Ind.

Minnesota 55, Arkansas State 7--In a tuneup at Minneapolis for their Big Ten opener next Saturday against Purdue, the Golden Gophers (2-1) rolled up their highest point total since beating Purdue, 59-56, in 1993.

Cory Sauter threw for three touchdowns and Minnesota converted four turnovers into 24 points. Running back Chris Darkins aggravated a hamstring injury and played only two series.

The Indians (2-3) of the Big West moved up from Division I-AA three years ago.